Taking a different view

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For you today, I have a tweaked version of a great card.  It’s a completely different look – a more subdued, dare I say masculine look?  Today, I’m going to share with you how to take a great project and then improve upon it so that you get more from those great ideas that you have.

I thought that you would enjoy seeing what I mean.  Here are both projects on top of each other.  Which one do you prefer?  I mean, they both are great, but yet evoke a different feel.  Be sure to tell me in the comment section which one you prefer!  I am rather curious…go do it now and then come back and read the rest!

 

It’s funny, I love the sunset cards, but there’s something about the other one that mesmerizes me as well.  I can’t quite put my finger on it.  Here it is close up.  To see the other close up click here.

The main difference between the two, other than the color, is that the foreground palm trees are embossed first to really resist the background and remain clean.  I just love that pop of Jungle Green.  The Cloud Space stamp was added in place of the sunset – that’s a FABULOUS stamp. Smile

I made this card for a friend of my Dad’s who lost his wife to a long battle with cancer.  When I remember her, I think of how much she loved the beach and waters of the Mediterranean and Atlantic.  She would come back from vacations in Spain so brown it was unbelievable.  Laura was a real artist who painted the most amazing sceneries on canvas.  Of course by trade, she was a pharmacist, but I remember her as an artist.  Laura, this one’s is in memory of you. Smile

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Stamp Sets – Stampscapes Stamps Ink – Marvy – Oriental Blue, Turquoise, Caribbean Blue, Jungle Green, Yellow, Brilliant Yellow; Adirondack Lights – Cloudy Blue, Aqua, Peach Bellini; Stampin’ Up! – Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Sahara Sand, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso Marker Paper –Glossy White, Early Espresso Tools – Colorbox Stylus, Brushtix Mixed Media Brushes Finishing Touch – Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen

Filed Under: Cards, Masculine, Scenic, Stampscapes Tagged: , , , ,

Dog Days of Summer: Tropical Lagoon

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Is your creative process for a project always perfect?  I know mine sometimes is not.  Yesterday I worked on a project for my friend Trish in Australia.  What you see above is the final result.  Here’s the creative process it took me this time around.  I hope this helps some of you!

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This time, I began with the following project. My  lagoon stamp was larger than my intended project size, so I wanted to only use part of it with still having room for a palm tree in the forefront for perspective.  It didn’t work out as I intended. 

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My original project is at the bottom.  The grass didn’t blend with the palm tree well enough, I didn’t care for the extra grass and so much real estate at the bottom.  By accident I swiped red right over my sun, the card stock had divot’s  at the top that wouldn’t take in any ink, and the bungalows were stamped strangely.  Now, you may be saying I’m being nit-picky, but that’s a whole lot of things wrong for me, so I created a plan to fix my scene.

I began by taking a piece of scrap paper and stamping my scene on a larger card – 3 3/4” x 9” instead.  Here you see my beginning project, my test scene and the final project all next to each other.  I think you’ll agree with me – it’s MUCH better!Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (3)_thumb[7]

I used several colors of Marvy, Adirondack Lights, and Stampin’ Up! inks to get my desired look with a Colorbox Stylus Sponge Tool  Now I’m going to have to make one for myself!  Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (16)_thumb[2]

Creative Tips –

  • I stamped the entire scene in Early Espresso rather than Black.
  • I stamped the lagoon and then masked the sky.  I colored in my water – Aqua Adirondack Lights, Caribbean and Turquoise Blue.  I kept the color in streaks so to leave a little light in it.
  • For the sand, I used Sahara Sand Stampin’ Up! ink.  I then masked the water and my sun.  The sky is made of Yellow, Brilliant Yellow, Crushed Curry, Peach Bellini, Crisp Cantaloupe, Tangerine Tango, Cloudy Blue and Oriental Blue.Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (18)_thumb[3]
  • The huts were stamped after the horizon masks were removed and right on the horizon line.  The roofs were colored in using a Brushtix Sponge Tip applicator and Jungle Green with Early Espresso Marker accents.
  • You can extend the dots that make up the surrounding scene with the fine tip of the Early Espresso Marker.
  • The reeds and tropical plant are stamped with Jungle Green.  It was necessary to mask the tree with a little bit from a paper towel.Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (17)_thumb[3]
  • Three of the birds were colored with the Early Espresso Marker and stamped in the sky.
  • The Palms extend off the page and I stamped the lower parts of the leaves in Jungle Green.
  • To brighten up the scene and give it some life, you can use a Uniball Signo White Gel Pen.  You may want to go over some of the natural waves from the stamp if you’ve gotten color on them like I did.  Add some dots in the sand for the foam left behind the wave that rolls onto the shore.
  • Highlight the trees, huts and birds, keeping in mind where you light source is coming from.Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (10)_thumb[3]Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (14)_thumb[3]
  • Here you see the difference between sponging the edge of the scene in Early Espresso and leaving the canvas as is.Stampscapes Tropical Lagoon 9.5.13 (13)_thumb[2]

I love the end result – it’s by far the best Stampscapes tropical scene I’ve done.  In the end, I used 9 various stamps to create this scenery.  I hope you love it too!  It’s a fitting end to the summer.

Online Brayer Class

Do you want to learn how to make creative scenery cards?  Try our Brayer 101 – Introduction to Creative Scenery online class.  You’ll learn how to master this technique using a brayer to create unbelievable scenes that will leave you feeling like an artist.  Find out more here.

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Stamp Sets – Stampscapes Stamps Ink – Marvy – Oriental Blue, Turquoise, Caribbean Blue, Jungle Green, Yellow, Brilliant Yellow; Adirondack Lights – Cloudy Blue, Aqua, Peach Bellini; Stampin’ Up! – Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Sahara Sand, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso Marker Paper –Glossy White, Early Espresso Tools – Colorbox Stylus, Brushtix Mixed Media Brushes Finishing Touch – Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen

Filed Under: Masculine, Stampscapes Tagged: , , , , ,

The Creative Process and a Sneak Peek!

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Do you ever feel like it is a definite process to get to your desired project result?  Do you hit a home run each time you start a new creative project?  I certainly do not!  I hope this post will help you to realize that it’s okay to re-do a project, or take it in steps.  Today, I thought it might be helpful for you to see what my desk looks like when I’m right in the middle of a project.  I took a break from packing to get a little creative for you!  Here’s a snapshot of my process – notice a not completed project in the upper right, a middle project template  in the center and then my actual finished project in process.

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This is actually not that bad.  I cut my paper in a different space or it’s just too much!  Today you see that I’m using various types of ink pads – four different brands actually!  And to get some business inspiration at the same time, I was taking a class – that’s what’s on the computer monitor.  My space started to get a little overwhelming, and I had to put some stuff in it’s place so that I felt like I had some elbow room, but my end result worked out awesome!

To the left, you see a sneak peek of tomorrow’s project with the end result at the top, my middle test project that became my creative process, and my beginning project that went all wrong in several ways.  I know it doesn’t look like it, but trust me, it did!

I began a project for a friend and wanted it to be just right.  It didn’t quite turn out the way I had planned.  So what I did was take a piece of scrap paper and work the project out so that I felt a bit more confident and now I LOVE the end result.  Please tune in tomorrow to see it!

Update – Packing up the Stamping Studio – It’s been quite a task to pack up the studio.  We’ve been here for nine years and my craft room is 28’ x 14’ – it’s loaded with open spaces and shelves filled with projects, cards, and supplies.  And that’s not even my classroom.  Yes, I’m lucky – when I first started in this industry, I had a 4’ x 2’ folding table, chair and one plastic set of drawers – in the corner of our family room.  I couldn’t stand putting things away each time I scrapbooked or made cards – I vowed to have a room all to myself with a door someday!

I didn’t get it until we purchased our home nine years ago, and now I’m leaving my dream space.  It’s okay – we’re on to a fun adventure – but I now have the experience of knowing how much space I truly need to be creative and productive.  While my huge room (rooms if you include my even larger classroom), will be missed – I know I will be fine in a smaller space.  Actually – I’m looking forward to it.  You see, I ended up collecting way too much stuff with such a huge space (makes sense – we just have to fill it, don’t we!) – it made for a nice downsizing sale for my local customers though!  Thanks for bearing with me as I continue to pack and purge!

See you tomorrow – you’ll want to tune in…this card is my most impressive Creative Scenery project to date.  I’m going to have to make myself one to keep!  Have fun stamping!

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Stamp Sets – Stampscapes Stamps Ink – Marvy – Oriental Blue, Turquoise, Caribbean Blue, Jungle Green, Yellow, Brilliant Yellow; Adirondack Lights – Cloudy Blue, Aqua, Peach Bellini; Stampin’ Up! – Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Sahara Sand, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso Marker; Memento – Black Paper –Glossy White, Early Espresso Tools – Colorbox Stylus, Brushtix Mixed Media Brushes Finishing Touch – Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen

Filed Under: Stampscapes, Techniques Tagged: , , , , , ,

Tropical Sunset Stampscape

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If you hadn’t noticed, I love creating sunset scenery.  Today I have a tropical sunset using a great image from Stampscapes.  This is the perfect birthday card for someone who would love a little of the tropics to escape to.  For me – I’m sending this to my mom for her Birthday this week.  I know she’ll love it.

I worked on glossy paper with a colorbox sylus tool for this scene and Stampscapes 002 008

Creative Tips –

    • I used the now retired Stampin’ Up! glossy paper as my base.
    • To keep my paper wet so that my stylus could move a bit better, I worked in sections.
    • I gave the middle of my paper a good coat of So saffron in the middle, followed by Daffodil Delight and Crushed Curry.  I had masked the sun, so I had a white sun when done.
    • Next I layered a small amount of Tangerine Tango towards my horizon line.  Stampscapes 002 002
    • I created my sun first with a light coating of Crushed Curry followed by Real Red.  I worked my stylus just outside the white lined border to not have such a defined line, but have that white outline that you see in the sun.
    • For my sea, I began with a light coat of Soft Sky.
    • Next I layered Pool Party, Bermuda Bay and a little Tempting Turquoise into my water in a streaking motion.  I kept a little white area off to the left just below the sun.
    • For the sky I started with Soft Sky, followed by Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist and Island Indigo.Stampscapes 002 010
    • I stamped my tropical island, birds and water texture stamp in Black.  I wanted the island in a particular spot, so I used a Stamp-a-Majig to position my stamp.  Of course I dropped it as I lifted it, so I had to stamp it twice since on the glossy, the Black ink was still wet and smeared.  I was able to save the image!
    • I used a White Gel Pen to accent my trees and water.

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My colored base was so pretty – I almost didn’t want to stamp on it!  Something unexpected happened to me – This scene made me want to paint.  So I have a feeling the more I do these types of scenes on paper – the more I will definitely venture into the art of painting.  Do any of you paint?  If so, what is your favorite medium?Stampscapes 002 007

Try our Online Brayer Class

Creative Scenery classes using a brayer have by far been my biggest hit with stampers.  Learn how to create gorgeous gradual transitions with 100+ minutes of step by step detailed video instruction teaching you how to master this technique.  The end result – You will feel like an artist.  Best of all, you will look at your stamps in a whole new way, and try things you never would have thought to do before.  Find out more here

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Stamp Sets – Four You (130538c, 130535w), Stampscapes Stamps Ink – Memento Tuxedo Black, Soft Sky, Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay, Marina Mist, Island Indigo, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Versamark Paper –Glossy White,Whisper White, Tangerine Tango Tools – Colorbox Stylus Finishing Touch – Black Embossing Powder, Signo White Gel Pen

 

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